Evening Star Newspaper, February 13, 1927, Page 40

| e Murder of Roger Ackroyd By AGATHA CHRISTIE. Copyright by Dodd, Mead & Co. o (Continued from Yesterday's Star.) ] And then and there I narrated the whole events of the evening as I have et them down here. The inspector listened keenly, occasionally interject- | estion. infi:‘?nglu(our:\t\rdmm'_v story 1 »\-erl Yeard,” he said, when 1 had finished. | “aAnd you say that letter has com- | pletely disappeared? It looks bad— | it looks very bad indeed. Tt gives| us what we've been looking for—a | motive for the murder T nodded. “I realize that.” | “You say that Mr. Ackroyd hinted at a suspicion he had that some mem household was involved? | ehold’s rather an elastic term.” | “You don’t think that Parker him Eelf might be the man we're after?” | suggested. g It Slooks very like' it. He was | obviously listening at the door when | you came out. Then Miss Ackroyd came across him later bent on ente: ing the study. Say he tried again when she was safely out of the way. He stabbed Ackroyd, locked the door on the inside, opened the window, and got out that way, and went round 10 a side door which he had previously Jeft open. How's that?” | “There's only one thing against it,” | Y said slowly. “If Ackrovd went on | reading that letter as soon as I left, | as he intended to do, I don't see him | continuing to sit on here and turn things over in his mind for another hour. He'd have had Parker in at once, accused him then and there, and there would have been a fine old up »yd was a man | < | ightn't have had time to go on | with the letter just then.” suggested | the inspector. was with him at half:past nine. If that visitor turned up as soon as you left, and after he went, Miss Ackroyd came in to say good-night-swell, he wouldn't be able to go on with the Qetter until close upon ten o'clock.” “And the telephone call?” “Parker sent that all right—per- haps before he thought of the locked door and open window. Then he changed his mind—or got in a panic— and decided to deny ail knowledge of it. That was it, depend upon it.” “Ye-es,” I said rather doubtfully. “Anywdy, we can find out the truth &bout the telephone call from the ex- change. If it was put through from here, I don't see how any one else but Parker could have sent it. De- pend upon it, he's our man. But keep it dark— we don’t want to alarm him Just yet, till we've got all the evi- dence. 1'll see to it he doesn’t give us the slip. To all appearances we'll be concentrating on your mysterious |the question much further. stranger.” It was the secretary who answered. “In the silver table in the drawing room." “What?" T exclaimed. The others looked at me. “Yes, doctor?” said the inspector encouragingly It's nothing. Yes, doctor’ aid the inspector again, ‘still more encouragingly. __ It's so tr al,” 1 explained apolo- getically. ‘Only that when I arrived last night for dinner I heard the lid | of the silver table being shut down in | Commander Edward J. Nolan request- drawing room. profound skepticism and a spicion on the inspector'’s nee. did you know it was the silver table 1id?” forced to explain in detal % explanation_which I would infinitely rather not have had to_make. pector heard me to the end. the dagger in its place when vou were looking over the contents? “I don't know,” T said. “I can't I remember noticing it—but, of it may have been there all the “We'd better get hold of the house- keeper,” remarked the inspector, and pulled the bell. A few minutes later Miss Russell, summoned by Parker, entered the room. “I don't think I went near the silver she said, when the inspector question. I was look- | all the flowers were 1y 1 remember now. The silver table was open—which it had no business to be. and 1 shut the {lid_down as I passed. She looked him aggressivel; “I see,” said the inspector. *We know some one |you tell me if this dagger was in its place then?" Miss Russell looked at the weapon composedly. can't say, I'm sure,” she replied. ‘I didn't stop to look. 1 knew the family would be down any minute, and I wanted to get away.” “Thank you,” the inspector. There was just u (#ee of hesitation in his manner, as though he would have liked to question her further, but Miss Russell clearly accepted the words as a dismissal, and glided from the room. “Rather a Tartar, I should fancy, eh?" said the inspector, looking after her. “Let me see. This silver table is in front of one of the windows, I think you said, doctor?” Raymond answered for me. “Yes, the left-hand window." “And the window was open?” “They were both ajar.” “Well, T don’t think we need go into Some- body—I'll just y somebody—could He rose from where he had been |get that dagger any time he liked, and jitting astride the chair belonging to B e and crossed over o the stil ©form in the arm-chair. - “The weapon ought to give us a tlew,” he remarked, looking up. “It's something quite unique—a c‘urlo, I ghould think, by the look of it.” He bent down, surveying the handle exactly when he got it doesn't matter in the least. I'll be coming up in the morning with the chief constable, Mr. Raymond. Until then, I'll keep the key of that door. I want Col. Melrose to see everything exactly as it is. I happen to know that he’s dining out the other side of the county, and, I Bttentively, and 1 heard him give a |believe, staying the night. . . runt of satisfaction. Then, very g:ugerly. he pressed his hands down jow the hilt and drew the blade out from the wound. Still carrying it ‘We watched the inspector take up the jar. . v “I shail have to pack this care- tully,” he observed. “It’s going to be t to touch the handle, he|an important piece of evidence in ;‘l’u‘:fi 'in a wide china mug which |more ways than one. ied the mantelpiece. "’o';neu." he said, nodding at it. »Quite a work of art. There can't be many of them about.” - It was indeed a beautiful object. A narrow, tapering blade, and a hilt of elaborately intertwined metals of curious and careful workmanship. He touched the blade gingerly with his finger, testing its sharpness, and made en appreciative grimace. A few minutes later as I came out of the billiard room with Raymond, the latter gave a low chuckle of amusement. I felt the pressure of his hand on my arm, and followed the directionof his eyes. Inspector Davis seemed to be inviting Parker's opinion of a small pocket diary. “A little obvious,” murmured my companion. “So Parker is the sus- pect,.is he? Shall we oblige Inspector “Lord, what an edge,” he exclaimed. | ) iS5y 2Ty of our fingerprints A child could drive that into a man— s easy as cutting butter. A danger- pus sort of toy to have about.” “May I examine the body properly “Go ahead.” I made a thorough examination. h.:lwe“?.‘ said the inspector, when I finished. “I'll spare you the technical lan- guage,” I said. ““We'll keep that for the inquest. The blow was delivered by a right-handed man standing be- hind him, and death must have been jnstantaneous. By the expression on the dead man's face, I should say that the blow was quite unexpected. e probably died without knowing who his assailant was.” “Butlers can creep about as soft- footed as cats,” said Inspector Davis. ““There’s not going to be much mys- tery about this crime. Take a look at the hilt of that dagger.” I took the look. “I dare say they're not apparent to you, but I can see them clearly enough.” He lowered his voice. *Fingerprints!" He stood off a few steps to judge of his effect. “Yes,” I said mildly. “I guessed that.” I do not see why I should be sup- posed to be totally devoid-of intelli- gence. stories, and the newspapers, and | am a man of quite average ability. | If there-had been toe marks on the dagger handle, now, that would have been quite a different thing. I would then have registered any amount of gurprise and awe. 1 think the inspector was annoyed with me for declining to get thrilled. ¥e picked up the china mug and in- vited ‘me to accompany him to the billard room. “I want to see if Mr. Raymond can tell us anything about this dagger,” he_explained. ; Locking the outer door behind us | Bgain, we made our way to the billiard room, where we found Geoffrey Ray- mond. The inspector held up his ex- hibit. “Ever: seen this before, Mr. Ray- mond?” “Why, 1 believe—I'm almost sure that is a curio given to Mr. Ackroyd by Maj. Blunt. It comes from Morocco—no, Tunis. So the crime | was committed with that? What an/ extraordinary thing! It seems almost | Impossible, and yet there couldghardly | be two daggers the same. May I fetch Maj. Blunt?” Without waiting for an answer, he | hurried off. “Niog young fellow that,” said the fnspector. “Something honest and in- genuous about him.” 1 agregd. In the two years that Geoffrey Raymond has been secretary to Ackroyd, 1 have never seen him ruffied or out of temper. And he has been, I know, & most efficient secre tary. In a minute or two Raymond re- turned, accompanied by Blunt. “I was right,” said Raymond ex- v. “It is the 'Tunisian dagger.” Maj. Blunt hasn't looked at it objected the inspector. tho> moment I came into sald the quiet man. o the study, “You recognized it then Blunt nodded “You said nothing about it,” sald the inepector suspiciously. “Wrong moment,” said Blunt. “Lot of harm done by blurting out things at_the wrong time.” He returned the inspector's stare placidly enough The latter grunted at last and also? He" took two cards from the card tray, iwiped them with his silk hand- kerchief, then handed one to me and took ‘the other himself. Then, with a grin, he handed them to the police inspector. “Souvenirs,” he said. No. 1, Dr. Sheppard; No. 2, my humble self. One from Maj. Blunt will be forthcoming in_the morning.” Youth is very buoyant. Even the brutal murder of his friend and _em- ployer could not dim Geoffrey Ray- mond’s spirts for iong. Perhaps that is as it should be. I do not know. I have lost the qualily of resilience long since myself. It was very late when I got back, and I hoped that Caroline would have gone to bed. I might have known better. She had hot cocoa waiting for me, and whilst ‘I drank it she extracted the whole history of the evening from me. I said nothing of the blackmall- ing business, but contented myself :‘llh giving her the facts of the mur- er. ““The police suspect Parker,” I said, as I rose to my feet andsprepared to ascend to bed. “There seems a fairly clear case against him.” (Continued in Tomorrow’s Star.) After all, T read detective b ) FORTUNATE are the children Whose parents fully realize the seriousness of constipation. Hos- pital records prove that 75 per cent of all disease originates in bowel obstruction, or constipation. Young children cry because of it; school children are hampered in their studies; grown people are made 25 per cent less efficient; elderly people’s blood pressure in- creases 28 per cent. Innumerable mothers give Dr. Caldwell’s Syru, Pepsin at the first sign of consti- pation, and have little or no seri- ous sickness among their children. Largest Selling Laxative Every up-to-date family medi- cine chest should contain a bottle of Dr. Caldwell’s_Syrup Pepsin, a compound of Egyptian Senna with pepsin and palatable aro- matics, a prescription written 30 years ago by Dr. W. B. Caldwell, turned away. He Lrought the dagger over to Blunt. “You're quite sure about it, sir. You identify it positively?” “Absolutely. No doubt whatever. *“Where was this—er—curio usuall &emzuqnn.vonuu.mw who practiced. medicine 47 years. You can buy a bottle in any store Some Families are Never Ill SPANISH WAR VETERANS Col. John Jacob Astor Camp met on Monday and the following mem- bers were admitted: Martin H. Gavin, William Gregg, Walter Kirchoff, Jere- miah McCarty, Reuben D. Priddy and Willlam F. Skaggs. Senior Vice Des partment Commander and Past Com- mander Danlel Foley of Harden Camp addressed the meeting. Richard J. Harden Camp at its last meeting admitted to membership Albert L. Wight, Phillip D. Darling and Willlam W. Curtls. Willlam B. Treeman was admitted by reinstate- ment, and Vladmir Sournin affillated. The = department commander an- nounced that he and his staff will make the official visitation to the mp March 3, and it was voted to | have the entertainment committee pro- | vide a buffet luncheon. Department led the members to attend the Maine memorial exercises to be held at Fort Myer at 2:30 p.m., February 15, and 1so asked for volunteers to assist in | perfecting plans for Memorial day ceremonies to be held May 30. Past | Department Commander Charles W. McCaffery, J. J. Murphy, quarter- | master “general, and Commander | Benjamin F. Motley of Astor Camp |also” spoke. Memorial services in honor of the | men who lost their lives on the U. S. | battleship Maine in Havana harbor {in 1898, and in commemoration of the twenty-ninth anniversary of the de- struction of the Maine, will be ob- served February 15, at 2:30 o'clock in the riding hall at Fort Myer, Va. All members of the Spanish” War Veter- ang and members of the auxiliaries are invited to attend. At 1 pm. a short service will be held under the auspices of the members of the aux- fliarfes at the Maine Shaft, Arlington National Cemete | " Department President Edna R. Sum- | merfield announced a rummage sale, under the direction of the department | |of the District of Columbia, will be |held at 1107 Fourand-a-half street southwest, beginning tomorrow and | extending throughout ‘most of the | week Qol. John Jacob Astor Auxiliary will celebrate the third anniversary of its organization with a party next Thursday at its hall at 921 Pennsyl- vania avenue southeast. An' enter- tainment and refreshments will be provided. President General Blanche M Baker, accompanied by Secretary Ge; eral Mable G. Plerce, have arrived in the city to attend the sessions before the House committee having to do with national defense legislation now before that body. Upon the conclu- slon of these sessfons, the president general will make her annual inspec- tion of the department of the District of Columbla. A joint meeting of the auxiliaries of the department was held February 5 at Pythian Temple, .at which Department President Edna R. Summerfield presided. President Ge: eral Barker made an address. A mu. gleal program and refreshments were | Past Commander Andrew J. Kim- mel of Admiral George Dewey Naval Camp and Mrs. Addle Kimmel, presi- dent of Dewey Naval Auxiliary, pre- sided at a reception and dinner which they gave in honor of President Gen- eral Barker at their home at 619 A street southeast, Wednesday, at 7:30 o'clock p.m. During the evening sev- eral vocal solos were given by Miss Jeanette McCaffery, accompanied by hfi:s Katharyn McCaffery on the plano. BARE HEADS BARRED. Visitors to Philadelphia Court * Clerk Must Wear Hats. PHILADELPHIA, February 12 (P), —All visitors to the office of the clerk of the civil courts of Philadelphia County are required to wear hats, regardless of their business or sex, Clerks not only refuse to serve any bareheaded man or woman, but request them to get their hats. Before this rule was effective out- siders frequently approached visitors seeking information and charged files. To prevent this the bare head was made a badge of office. ———. 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